The Joys of SOLO-MOM Travel
Photo: Unsplash Benjamin Voros
Solo Travel for Moms: How Moms Can Use Travel for Self-Care
From “Mom’s Guide to Travel” | Tawanna SMITH
Solo travel is truly a self-care remedy for tired mothers. It is a time when moms can enjoy concentrated holistic self-care that puts them first. I’m a firm believer that solo travel can do wonders for us mentally, physically and spiritually.
Let me tell you why.
Using solo travel for self-care
If you think about it, solo travel is a form of respite.
When there are no demands on your attention or your time, you have an opportunity to focus on YOU.
You can do things that you love or that you’d love to try but never have the time (think calypso or merengue lessons).
You can arrange pampering time for yourself and take as long as you need.
You can spend time decompressing via long walks, meditation, or physical activities like yoga.
The ultimate goal is to refill your drained cup.
Taking periodic self-care travel breaks has helped me return home feeling 100%. I come back a better woman for my family because I’m renewed, refreshed, and replenished by the experience.
Activities like taking quiet walks on the beach, hiking to a waterfall, relaxing on a sailboat, touring an art museum, wine tasting at a vineyard, sleeping by the pool, surrendering in a spa, exploring on a food tour, or simply sitting quietly on a deck contribute to that renewal.
Because I see travel as a necessity for my self-care instead of a luxury, I prioritize it. If you can also see travel this way, it will help you to justify why you need solo breaks as well.
What about childcare?
Figuring out childcare is not easy for most moms with younger children or school-aged kids. It takes A LOT of coordination.
And although it can be difficult, it’s necessary if you want to make your solo travel dreams a reality.
How to do Solo Travel if You’re Married with children
If you’re married, you have to negotiate with your spouse. I am always negotiating with my husband…like several times a week!
Here’s what I mean specifically:
Be proactive with the calendars. Check his calendar, your calendar, and the kids’ school calendar. Coordinate where you can find synergy and make an opening for yourself to slip away.
If you take a solo trip, encourage him to do the same. If you go on a girlfriends’ getaway, encourage him to go on a guys’ trip.
If you don’t have a spouse, partner, or are dealing with constraints with a significant other, then you may need to call in the troops.
Don’t be afraid to add family who live nearby to the equation. Ask them for a favor.
We often fly in my mother-in-law up to watch the kids. In the past, I’ve dropped off my boys with my sister in New York or we’ve even had my brother-in-law watch the children.
One of the single ladies who traveled with me to Costa Rica shared a great piece of advice for moms who can’t count on a spouse or family members: do a swap with a close friend!
I love this idea.
Identify a friend who you’d feel comfortable leaving your children with for an overnight or for a few days.
Set up an arrangement whereby you all swap watching each other’s children so that you can each get time away.
Talk about a win-win situation.
You’re getting a timeout and you’re also providing that gift to a friend as well.
Bottom line: if you want your solo travel plans to work you have to get creative. Not having a spouse, nanny, or family member nearby doesn’t have to kill the dream!
More creative ideas to help moms travel solo
If the budget allows, consider using sites like Care.com or check out nanny services for short-term or temporary nannies.
Work your way up to leaving your children with your providers for longer periods of time.
If you’re concerned with leaving them with someone you don’t know, this is where that pre-planning comes into play.
This strategy has to be set in motion way ahead of your intended travels in order for it to work. Leaving your children with someone other than a family member or friend takes a leap of faith.
If you have the resources, set up a camera in your home to keep an eye on things.
My Vivint home security system has an in-home camera option. You can also use Amazon’s Cloud camera security system which essentially does the same thing.
Most interior cameras are connected to apps on your phone where you can monitor from abroad and communicate with your family.
How to Take the First Step to Solo Travel for Self-Care
Start where you feel most comfortable. You want to start where things feel the easiest for you.
This can depend heavily on your resources or what’s available to you: time, money, and childcare.
A first step for the newbie solo traveler
Find an amazing property in your own city if you want to start locally. Then when you’re ready, stay overnight in a city a few hours away.
CHECK OUT YOUR LOCAL HOME AWAY
Work your way up from there to another state, another region, another country, or another time zone.
Pushing yourself to go further for longer periods of time is called flexing your travel muscle.
You need to flex it for yourself and stretch it for your family until it becomes a strong habit.
That’s a good question to ask yourself. What does solo travel mean?
Within the context of family travel, I believe solo travel is a little broader than just traveling by yourself. I personally interpret it as traveling without your spouse or your kids.
For a mom, solo self-care travel can mean traveling completely by yourself or traveling with a friend or traveling with a group of like-minded women.
Part of my job is to empower you to be comfortable with any one of these options and do the coordinating for you.
I enjoy watching the transformation that happens when I take a group of women who are ready to flex their travel muscles on a retreat or a getaway.
Our goals are to always have fun and focus on our self-care.
Self-care travel is about investing in yourself
As moms, we need to invest in our self-care. If we can do a better job at looking at self-care travel as an investment, the decision-making process would be a lot easier.
How is self-care travel an investment?
There is a return and there is a pay-off. The return is a renewed YOU!
Photo by Andre Benz on Unsplash
Photo by Julentto Photography on Unsplash
PHOTO BY DANE DEANER | UNSPLASH